Voter Data On Hold After Restraining Order Requested Against Trump Administration

DENVER (CBS4)– A series of lawsuits are forcing the Trump White House to slam the breaks on a controversial request for voter data across the country.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center has requested a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration. In response, the White House sent emails to election officials across the country asking for no data to be sent, including data that is publicly available.

(credit: CBS)

Colorado Secretary of State Wayne Williams says his office will not send data until the administration formally requests it again.

“It is a win that people have been pushing back on this because they understand what this is about,” says ACLU of Colorado Executive Director Nathan Woodliff-Stanley.

“It’s voter suppression where you’re effecting thousands of voters at a time that does effect elections… that’s what they’re trying to do and that’s effective,” says Woodliff-Stanley.

The review was ordered after President Trump’s fact-free claims that 3-5 million people voted illegally and cost him the popular vote.

Secretary of State Wayne Williams (credit CBS)

The ACLU says the review is likely to find scores of voters registered in multiple states – a frequent occurrence for people who have moved across the country, though the organization says people casting multiple ballots in multiple states is almost unheard of. The ACLU says the administration is using the review as an opportunity to throw millions of people off the voting rolls and to making the act of voting more difficult.

“Our concern is why are they asking for it and it’s clear they’re asking for it for a voter suppression effort,” says Woodliff-Stanley.

Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.